About Workflow

Configuration

A workflow is a set of connected steps that are executed in sequence to complete a specific process. Each step is an activity, which is the fundamental building block of a workflow. Activities include questions, XML messages to execute, and indicators that the workflow is complete. You use workflows to automate a specific business process.

Each time a workflow is run, a workflow instance is created. It contains a summary of the workflow, its ending status, and also contains analytic information.

When the workflow is complete, the final screen is refreshed to ensure it contains up‐to‐date information.

About Activities

Activities are used to perform the work. Each activity has its own purpose and its own inputs or outputs.

Assign. Assigns are used to set a value within the workflow and are generally used with conditional activities. You can use a Visual Basic expression for both the value to assign and the variable to assign it to.

Cancel Point. A cancel point is a set of properties that describe what happens when the workflow is canceled. You can have multiple cancel points with different values. When a cancel point is reached, the previous set of values is discarded. One significant property of a cancel point is the ability to disable the Cancel button to prevent canceling the workflow.

The Workflow ID property editor enables you to specify a new workflow to begin when the current workflow is canceled.
The Workflow Input Items property editor enables you to specify the input values for the new workflow
The XML Message property editor enables you to specify the XML message to send. The XML can reference variables held in memory that are set by the workflow. You can specify a cancel point and a finish point at the same time if you want to show both Cancel and Finish buttons at the same time. Embedded Workflow.

You can specify a cancel point and a finish point at the same time if you want to show both Cancel and Finish buttons at the same time.

Embedded Workflow. You can embed one or more workflows into another workflow. For example, you can modularize smaller workflows and nest them in separate, larger workflows. You use embedded workflows when you want to use the same series of steps in multiple workflows. Creating an embedded workflow automatically creates a wizard inside to hold steps.

The Workflow ID property editor enables you to specify the workflow you want to embed. You select the appropriate workflow from a list.
The Input Items property editor enables you to specify the inputs to the embedded workflow by specifying variable names.
The Output Items property editor enables you to specify the outputs from the embedded workflow and where they are stored. You specify the variable names.

Finish Point. A finish point is a set of properties that describe what happens when a workflow is finished. You can have multiple finish points with different values. When a finish point is reached, the previous set of values is discarded. You determine whether the workflow is closed when it is finished.

After a finish point is reached, the Preserve button changes to a Finish button, the assumption being that the workflow can be finished at any time after the finish point.

You can specify a cancel point and a finish point at the same time if you want to show both Cancel and Finish buttons at the same time.

If. An if activity is used to determine which conditional branch to follow based on the input value. It contains additional activities for each conditional branch.

Initialization. If you want to specify default input and output values for an embedded workflow, you use initialization to specify those values.

The Expected Input Items property editor enables you to specify default inputs, for example when a screen appears. You specify the variable names.
The Expected Output Items property editor enables you to specify default outputs when no value is entered. You specify the variable names.

If expected input items or expected output items are specified and a workflow with an initialization is added as an embedded workflow to another workflow activity, the values specified default to the embedded workflow’s input items and output items.

Invoke Method. An invoke method executes the specified method from a custom client assembly. The custom method can get or set values in the workflow, continue the workflow, or cancel the workflow.

The Assembly Name, Class Name, and Method Name fields enable you to specify the method to invoke.

Question. A question collects a single data value from the user interface and saves it as an internal value to the workflow, using the value in the Step ID field as a reference (variable name). The value is then used as a condition, is passed to a screen, or used as an argument to an XML message. You can use metadata or regular expressions to validate the value entered.

Screen. A screen is generally a screen customization that enables you to enter multiple values. Lookup screens can be displayed as popup windows while other screens appear as part of the workflow.

The Execute Buttons property editor enables you to specify buttons to be clicked when the screen activity is executed. You use the name to identify the buttons.
The Parent Values property editor enables you to specify values that are passed to the screen when a new record is created.
The Return Values property editor enables you to specify the values to pass into the workflow from the screen when the screen is completed.
The Search Criteria property editor enables you to specify the values you want to use to search for records. You specify the field in which the value is entered and the table and column in which to search. You can lock the results so they cannot be changed, only viewed.
The Select Criteria property editor enables you to identify which record returned by search criteria is initially selected in the result set. You specify the table and column in which the values appear and the values to use as constraints.

An example of using search and select criteria: on the Request screen, related tasks are accessed using a hyperlink. You use search criteria to return the tasks related to the specified request. You then use select criteria to select one task, for example, the task whose hyperlink is selected.

Step. A step contains a single activity. It can contain a condition that checks one or more workflow values to determine whether to skip the activity contained in the step. Activities always appear inside steps. An embedded workflow can also appear in a step.

Terminate. Terminate identifies that the workflow must stop immediately.

If a finish point has been reached, the workflow completes as if it were finished.
If a cancel point has been reached, the workflow completes as if it were canceled.
If both a finish point and a cancel point has been reached, the workflow completes as if it were finished.

You determine whether the workflow is closed upon terminate.

XML Message. An XML message is sent to the application server. Input data and substitution variables can be used as parameters. Values returned from the server can be further used by the workflow. You can also specify a popup alert (notification) to display when a response is received, based on values in the response.

The Return Values property editor enables you to specify the variables to fill based on the XML response message.
The XML Message property editor enables you to specify the XML message to send. The XML can reference variables held in memory that are set by the workflow.

Wizard. A wizard can contain one or more steps. It is generally used to indicate a grouping of steps that are executed as a unit. Generally a wizard is used as a result of an if activity.

Wizard Container. The wizard container is the outer‐most or highest level of a workflow. It is automatically created for a new workflow.

About Workflow Execution

Workflows can be executed by any of the following methods.

My Workflows. The My Workflows menu item appears on the File menu. The My Workflows screen displays workflows that are active and visible. You can run a new instance of a workflow or complete a workflow instance that is preserved.

Button. You can create a button to execute a workflow using the UI Designer. You add a workflow button to a screen customization and then attach one or more workflows using the edit workflow group feature. You can run a new instance of a workflow or complete a workflow instance that is preserved.

Menu. You can create a custom menu item to execute a workflow. You must add a custom function using Studio with a type of “workflow” and enter the workflow ID for the workflow in the function ID field. The custom function is then assigned to a new or existing menu.

You can only start a new instance of a workflow; you cannot complete a workflow instance that is preserved.

Business Rule. You can create a custom XML business rule to execute a workflow. The XML message contains a start workflow message and specifies the workflow ID and any parameters required by the workflow. You can specify parameters from the record that triggers the rule or enter parameters using a user input pop‐up.

About Access Groups

If you use access groups to control access to a workflow, you must also ensure that the user can access all screens and records included in the workflow.

The access group is assigned on the Groupings tab of the Workflow Information area.